Electrical connection



J. H. GEORGE.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1918.

Patented July 27, 192i) 2 SHEETS*SHEET l.

Inventor.-

-J. H. GEORGE.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 1918.

1,348, 1 28. Patented July 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J7 I --43 3,9 4 Z;

-41 44; v as ficw Inventor.- John H Geo? e,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GEORGE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE HAWTHORNE COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.

Application filed June 17,

To all whom it nay concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. GEORGE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Bridgeport, county of Fair-field, and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Electrical Connections, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to electrical connections, and is more especially, though not exclusively, concerned with a portable elec tric lighting apparatus having one or more batteries for the current supply, and means instantaneously to connect and disconnect the battery terminals to and from each other, and to and from the lamp terminals.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description, when take in connection'with the accompanying drawings of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, of a lighting apparatus embodying my invention;

. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the connector; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5 5 of Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of my invention which is illustrated therein, I have there shown a portable electric lighting apparatus having a casing comprising upper and lower sep arable parts 10 and 11, providing a chamber 12 partly in each. The upper and lower casing parts 10 and 11 may be secured to each other in any suitable manner, but in the present example, I have provided fastening means comprising a pair of links 13 and a pair of levers 14, the latter being fulamount of adjustment of the batteries. The

crumed on lugs 15 on the lower casingat 11, while the links are pivoted at their lower ends to said levers and at their upper ends are suitably connected to the upper part 10 by providing the latter with laterally projecting lugs 16, having seats 17 for the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1920.

1918. Serial No. 240,310.

links. The latter may be disengaged from their respective seats by first swinging the levers in an outward direction to disconnect the links, and then swinging the latter in an outward direction away from the lugs 16, whereupon the casing parts may be separated. The parts are reassembled by a reversal of the foregoing operation, it being evident that the links and levers will act as toggles to draw the casing parts toward each other, and secure them together.

The lower part of the chamber 12 may serve as a convenient space for one or more. herein two, batteries 18 and 19, which may be and in the present example are common dry cells, although the casing is equally well adapted to the use of other types, such for example as storage batteries. The upper portion of the chamber provides a convenient place for a suitable translating device, which is herein an electric bulb 20, seated in a socket 21, and herein associated with a reflector 22. The upper portion of the chamber may also serve as a convenient inclosure for a suitable lamp switch 23, to which two lead wires 24 and 25 may be connected. As the switch pc 86 forms no part of my present invention, it is deemed unnecessary further to illustrate or describe the same.

The battery 18 is herein provided with usual terminals 26 and 27, and the battery 19 is provided with similar terminals 28 and 29. In the case of dry batteries, the terminals 26 and 28 are centrally located with relation to their respective batteries, while the terminals 27 and 29 are disposed adjacent the edges of said batteries, as best shown in Fig. 3. As a means to position the batteries with relation to each other and to the casing, so that their terminals shall always occupy certain definite positions, I have herein provided a plate 30 of suitable insulating material such as fiber having openings 31, 32, 33 and 3 1, to receive the terminals 26, 27, 28 and 29, respectively, said openings in the present example being in the form of slots permitting a slight to the terminals, but in the present example, they serve simply as a means to clamp the positioning plate 30 in place.

As a means to facilitate assembling and dismounting the parts, and to enable the connection to be established and interrupted ,by merely connecting and disconnecting the casing parts, I have provided novel conducting elements 39, 40, 41 and 42, preferably carried by the upper casing part 10,

I united, and to that end, they are herein formed as leaf springs, normally resting with yielding pressure upon the terminals 26, 27, 28 and 29, respectively, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, it is evident that. when the casing parts are united, these leaf springs will at first simply rest on their respective terminals, but as the casing parts are forced together to their final position by the toggle action of the links 13 and levers 14, said springs will be flexed, and thus caused to bear on their terminals with sutficient pressure to make and maintain good contact.

As a means to secure the springs 39, 40, 41 and 42 to the insulator 43, I may provide suitable means, such as rivets 44, 45 and 46. It should here be noted that the rivet 45 secures the springs 40 and 41 to each other, as well as to the insulator, and that these springs connect the positive terminal to one battery with the negative terminal of the other, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 2. On the other hand, the rivets 44 and 46 may serve to connect the springs 39 and 42 to the conducting wires 24 and 25, respectively, leading to the switch 23. To this end, said wires are herein provided with terminals 48 and 49, respectively, to receive the rivets 44 and 46.

In order to hold the springs 38, 39, 40 and 41, in their proper relative positions, and to prevent them from swinging to and fro about their respective rivets, I have herein provided the insulator 43 with suitable shallow recesses 50, 51, 52 and 53, best shown in Fig. 4. Similarly, as a means to receive the terminals 48 and 49, I have provided said insulator with recesses 54 and 55. If desired, I may provide an insulating plate 56, extending across the recesses 54 and 55, and terminals 48 and 49, thereby holding the I latter securely in place, and preventing any possibility of short circuit. This plate may be, and is herein, sunk into a recess 57, so that its upper surface is flush with the upper surface of the insulator 43. The latter may be secured to the upper part 10 of the casing by any appropriate means, as for example, a pair of screws 58 extending through the insulator, as best shown in Fig. 5, and threaded into the casing. The latter may be, and is herein, provided with a pair of shallow bosses 59, shown in Figs. 2 and 5, to receive the screws 58, and in order to position the insulator 43, the latter is provided with recesses 60 corresponding in shape and size to the bosses 59 to receive the latter. The plate 56 may be secured in place by the clamping action of the insulator 43 when the latter is screwed in place. It may be additionally held in its proper position by interlocking engagement with the shallow bosses 59, the latter entering suitably shaped apertures 61 formed in the plate 56, as best shown in Fig. 2.

It should be evident from the foregoing that provision is made to prevent error in assembling the component parts, and that the construction of the connector is such that the connection between the positive and negative terminals of the batteries on the one hand, and between the remaining battery terminals and the switch and lamp, is made instantaneously by the mere act of uniting the casing parts. When, therefore, it becomes necessary that one should open the casing at any time for purposes of inspection, repair or replacement of parts, or the renewal of the batteries, this may be accomplished with ease and rapidity, and 'ivithout risk of error in making the connections. It is obvious that when the parts are assembled, they are firmly held in proper relation with one another, so that accidental displacement is impossible.

Having thus described one form of my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1. In combination, a metallic casing comprising two separable parts, a plurality of batteries carried by one casing part, a lamp carried by the other casing part, and means insulated from said casing to connect said batteries to and disconnect them from each other and to and from said lamp by connecting and disconnecting said casing parts.

2. In combination, a casing comprising two separable parts, a plurality of batteries carried by one casing part, a lamp carried by the other casing part, and means carried by said other casing part to connect said batteries to and disconnect them from each other and to and from said lamp by connecting and disconnecting said casing parts.

3. In combination, a casing comprising two separable parts, a plurality of batteries carried by one casing part, a lamp carried by the other casing part, means to connect said batteries to and disconnect them from each other and t0 and from said lamp by connecting and disconnecting said casing parts, and

means properly to position said batteries with relation to each other and to said cas- 4. In combination, a casing comprising two separable parts, a plurality of batteries carried by one casing part, each battery having a pair of terminals, a lamp carried by the other casing part, means to connect said batteries to and disconnect them from each other and to and from said lamp by connecting and disconnecting said casing parts, and means having openings to receive said terminals, to position the same with relation to each other and to said casing.

5. In combination, a casing comprising two separable. parts, a plurality of batteries carried by one casing part, a lamp carried by the other casing part, means to connect said batteries to and disconnect them from each other and to and from said lamp by connecting and disconnecting said casing parts and insulating means properly to position said batteries with relation to each other and to said casing.

6. In combination, a casing comprising two separable parts, a plurality of batteries carried by one casing part, each battery having a pair of terminals, a lamp carried by the other casing part, means to connect said batteries to and disconnect them from each other and to and from said lamp by connecting and disconnecting said casing parts, and insulating means having openings to receive said terminals to position the same with relation to each other and to said casing.

7. In combination, a casing comprising two separable parts, a plurality of batteries carried by one casing part, each battery having a pair of terminals, a lamp carried by the other casing part, means to connect said batteries to and disconnect them from each other and to and from said lamp by connecting and disconnecting said casing parts, and a plate of insulating material having openings 'to receive said terminals to position the same with relation to each other and to said casing.

8. In combination, a casing comprising two separable parts, a plurality of batteries carried by vone casing part, a lamp and lamp-switch carried by the other casing part, and means to connect said lamp-switch to and disconnect the same from said batteries and to connect said batteries to and disconnect the same from each other, said means including insulating means carried by said other casing part, and conducting means carried by said insulating means and contacting with the battery terminals.

9. In combination, a casing comprising two separable parts, and cooperating terminals carried by said parts and arranged to connect with and disconnect from each other by uniting and sepa n said parts said terminals being symmetrically arranged to provide for cooperation in a plurality of relative positions of said parts.

10. In combination, a casing comprising two separable parts, a plurality of batteries carried by one part, and current translating means carried by the other part, said batteries and current translating means having cooperating terminals arranged for connection and disconnection by uniting and separating said parts, each set of terminals being symmetrically arranged with relation to the part which carries such set, thereby to provide for cooperation with the other set in a plurality of relative positions of said parts.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing comprising two separable parts, a battery carried by one of said casing parts, said battery being provided with terminals, a plate having openings to'receive and position said terminals with reference to said casing thereby to present said terminals in substantially predetermined positions, and means carried by the other casing part to establish electrical connection with said terminals by merely uniting said casing parts.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing comprising two separable parts, a battery comprising a plurality of cells carried by one casing part, each cell having a pair of terminals, means to engage and position the terminals of each cell with relation to the remaining terminals and with reference to said casing, and means carried by the other casing part to establish electrical connection with said terminals by uniting said casing parts.

13. An apparatus of the class described, comprising, in combination, two separable units, one a current source unit and the other a current translating unit, said units having mutually engaging terminals separable by separating said units, said current source unit comprising a battery, a casing, and battery-positioning means to cause the terminals of said battery to be presented in the proper position for cooperation with the terminals of said current-translating unit.

14. An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, two separable units, one a current source unit and the other a current translating unit, said units having mutually engaging terminals separable by separating said units, said current source unit comprising a plurality of batteries, a casing, and battery positioning means to em gage and cause the terminals of said batteries to be presented in the proper relation with each other and with relation to the terminals of said current translating unit.

15. An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, two separable units, one a current source unit and the other a current translating unit, said units having mutually engaging terminals separable by separating said units, said current source unit comprising a battery, a casing, and battery positioning means engaging the terminals of said battery to cause such terminals to be presented in the proper position for cooperation with the terminals of said current translating unit.

16. An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, two separable units, one a current source unit and the 'other units, one a current source unit and the other a current translating unit, said units having mutually engaging terminals separable by separating said units, said current source unit comprising a plurality of batteries, a casing, and battery positioning means provided with openings receiving the terminals of said batteries to cause said terminals to be presented in the proper relation with each other and with relation to the terminals of said current translating unit, said openings having provision to permit a limited movement of said batteries toward and from each other.

18. An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, two separable units, one a current source unit and the other a current translating unit, said units having mutually engaging terminals separable'by separating said units, said current source unit comprising a plurality of batteries, a casing, and battery positioning means provided with openings receiving the terminals of said batteries to cause said terminals to be presented in the proper relation with each other and with relation to the terminals of said current translating unit, said openings being elongated to permit a limited movement of said batteries toward and from each other. I

19. An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination two separable units, one a current source unit and the other a current translating unit, said units having mutually engaging terminals separable by separating said units, said current source unit comprising a plurality of batteries, a casing, and battery positioning means provided with openings receiving the terminals of said batteries to cause said terminals to be presented in the proper relation with each other and with relation to the terminals of said current translating unit, said openings having provision to permit a limited movement of said batteries toward and from each other, and the terminals of said current translating unit having provision to maintain contact with said battery terminals in any position of the latter within the scope determined by said openings.

20. An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, two separable units, one a current source unit and the other a current translating unit, said units having mutually engaging terminals separable by separating said units, said current source unit comprising a plurality ofbatteries, a casing, and battery positioning means provided with openings receiving the terminals of said batteries to cause said terminals to be presented in the proper relation with each other and with relation to the terminals of said current translating unit, said openings being elongated to permit a limited movement of said batteries toward and from each other, and the terminals of said current translating unit being elongated to maintain contact with said battery terminals in any position of the latter within the scope determined by said openin s.

In testimony whereof, name to this specification.

JOHN H. GEORGE.

have signed my 

